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Kid Critic Reviews Reading Terminal Market and Manages Not to Offend Us

We’re not really fans of precocious kids who review restaurants and the adults who pander to them, but Ben Zauzmer a MontCo kid who reviewed and ranked 40 of the stalls in Reading Terminal Market for the Daily News actually made us smile. Why?

Part of it may be because he’s just more mature - at 16, Ben Zauzmer is both able to make a reasonable - and readable - assessment of what he likes. We also like young Ben because he seems down-to-earth and not precious and dammit, he’s funny! Take his description of what happened to him when he ate at DiNic’s:

I was minding my own business, happily eating my gigantic pulled-pork sandwich, when the lady on my left turned toward me. Let’s call her “Bobbie,” because that was her name.

Bobbie asked me if I had ever been to DiNic’s before and was so shocked when I told her I hadn’t. A minute later, just as I was wondering how they made the pork taste so delectable, Bobbie read my mind. “You know,” she said, “they make the meat the day before and let it marinate overnight.” Wow, I thought, she must know everything.

After Bobbie left, a young man wearing all black, even black gloves, took her spot next to me. “Where are you from?” he asked. “Montgomery County,” I said. “That’s my least favorite county,” he replied.

After a long, awkward pause, my curiosity got the better of me. “Why?” I asked.

“I was locked up there for two years,” he responded.

It was time for me to go.

Yes, we’re sure he was edited, but still - the kid’s got style. Not only did we just crack a smile, we’re pretty sure the ice shield over our two-sizes-too-small heart melted just a tiny bit.


Reading Terminal Top 40
[Philadelphia Daily News]

Kid Critic Reviews Reading Terminal Market and Manages Not to Offend Us